peg

[ peg ]

/ pɛg /

Save This Word!

noun

a pin of wood or other material driven or fitted into something, as to fasten parts together, to hang things on, to make fast a rope or string on, to stop a hole, or to mark some point.

Informal. a leg, either real or wooden: still on his pegs at 99.

a notch or degree: to come down a peg.

an occasion, basis, or reason: a peg to hang a grievance on.

Also pin .Music. a pin of wood or metal in the neck of a stringed instrument that may be turned in its socket to adjust a string's tension.

Informal. a throw, especially in baseball: The peg to the plate was late.

news peg.

Economics. the level at which some price, exchange rate, etc., is set.

British, Indian English. an alcoholic drink, especially a whiskey or brandy and soda.

British. clothespin.

verb (used with object), pegged, peg·ging.

to drive or insert a peg into.

to fasten with or as with pegs.

to mark with pegs.

to strike or pierce with or as with a peg.

to keep (the commodity price, exchange rate, etc.) at a set level, as by manipulation or law.

Informal. to throw (a ball).

Journalism. to base (an article, feature story, etc.) upon; justify by (usually followed by on): The feature on the chief of police was pegged on the riots.

Informal. to identify: to peg someone as a good prospect.

verb (used without object), pegged, peg·ging.

to work or continue persistently or energetically: to peg away at a homework assignment.

Informal. to throw a ball.

Croquet. to strike a peg, as in completing a game.

adjective

Also pegged. tapered toward the bottom of the leg: peg trousers.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about peg

take down a peg, to reduce the pride or arrogance of; humble; humiliate: I guess that'll take him down a peg!Also take down a notch .

Origin of peg

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English pegge (noun), peggen (verb), from Middle Dutch

OTHER WORDS FROM peg

peg·less, adjectivepeg·like, adjectivere·peg, verb, re·pegged, re·peg·ging.

Words nearby peg

peevers, peevish, peewee, peewit, P.E.F., peg, Pegasus, peg away at, pegboard, pegbox, peg climbing

Other definitions for peg (2 of 2)

Peg

[ peg ]

/ pɛg /

noun

a female given name, form of Peggy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use peg in a sentence

The company has also clarified that parents will be able to work remotely past the August 2021 date currently pegged for the workforce’s return to the office is children’s schools remain closed.
The best back-to-school benefits companies are offering their employees|ehinchliffe|September 10, 2020|Fortune
We pegged from the start that Democrats would win the House and Republicans would hold the Senate.
Our Forecast: Biden Has a Commanding (But Not Certain) Lead|Daniel Malloy|September 10, 2020|Ozy
A season ago, SRS pegged the Canes as the league’s 13th-best team, just good enough to sneak into the playoffs and cause some chaos.
Can The Hurricanes Win The Stanley Cup With Mediocre Goaltending?|Terrence Doyle|August 11, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
All of these proofs in the history of the square peg problem, a lot of them have that idea.
New Geometric Perspective Cracks Old Problem About Rectangles|Kevin Hartnett|June 25, 2020|Quanta Magazine

This Möbius strip provides mathematicians with a new object to analyze in order to solve the rectangular peg problem.
New Geometric Perspective Cracks Old Problem About Rectangles|Kevin Hartnett|June 25, 2020|Quanta Magazine
To “link up the beachheads and peg out claims well inland” was necessarily the first aim of Overlord.
Blood in the Sand: When James Jones Wrote a Grunt’s View of D-Day|James Jones|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And so the shaming of them, the public taking them down a peg or two, become moments to savor.
Why Does Everyone Hate Lea Michele?|Tim Teeman|October 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But “economic diversity” is a square peg in a round hole, no matter how you feel about round holes.
When Diversity Fails the Poor|Jedediah Purdy|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His team routed the British and hence, at the Patiala Peg, drinks are served in 75 ml glasses, compared to the standard 60 ml.
An Indian Icon Reborn: The Imperial Hotel Reclaims Its Glory Days|Esha Chhabra|May 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was meant to convey an off-the-peg, cheap suit, which was all the character would have been able to afford.
Finally! ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ Is Hollywood’s First 1990s Period Piece|Andrew Romano|December 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He reached up for her big, rough straw hat that hung on a peg outside the door, and put it on her head.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
The throat, with the whole of the peg-box, is reduced slightly but consistently with strength and beauty of appearance.
Antonio Stradivari|Horace William Petherick
Edna had found her old bathing suit still hanging, faded, upon its accustomed peg.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
As the representative of his father-in-law, Haggard asked his lordship with punctilious hospitality if he would take another peg.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume II (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for peg

peg

/ (pɛɡ) /

noun

a small cylindrical pin or dowel, sometimes slightly tapered, used to join two parts together

a pin pushed or driven into a surface: used to mark scores, define limits, support coats, etc

music any of several pins passing through the head (peg box) of a stringed instrument, which can be turned so as to tune strings wound around themSee also pin (def. 11)

Also called: clothes peg British a split or hinged pin for fastening wet clothes to a line to dryUS and Canadian equivalent: clothespin

informal a person's leg

Northern English dialect a tooth

British a small drink of wine or spirits, esp of brandy or whisky and soda

an opportunity or pretext for doing somethinga peg on which to hang a theory

a mountaineering piton

croquet a post that a player's ball must strike to win the game

angling a fishing station allotted to an angler in a competition, marked by a peg in the ground

informal a level of self-esteem, importance, etc (esp in the phrases bring or take down a peg)

informal See peg leg

off the peg mainly British (of clothes) ready to wear, as opposed to tailor-made

verb pegs, pegging or pegged

(tr) to knock or insert a peg into or pierce with a peg

(tr sometimes foll by down) to secure with pegsto peg a tent

mountaineering to insert or use pitons

(tr) to mark (a score) with pegs, as in some card games

(tr) informal to aim and throw (missiles) at a target

(intr; foll by away, along, etc) mainly British to work steadilyhe pegged away at his job for years

(tr) to stabilize (the price of a commodity, an exchange rate, etc) by legislation or market operations

Word Origin for peg

C15: from Low Germanic pegge

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with peg

peg

In addition to the idiom beginning with peg

peg away at

also see:

square peg in a round hole
take down a notch (peg)

peg

Idioms about peg

Origin of peg

OTHER WORDS FROM peg

Words nearby peg

Other definitions for peg (2 of 2)

Words related to peg

How to use peg in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for peg

Word Origin for peg

Other Idioms and Phrases with peg